When New York City Parks Department officials issued a letter calling for an end to pre-New York City Marathon shakeout events that end in Central Park, the local running community reacted with a unified — and frustrated — groan of confusion.
Last week, parks commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa emailed numerous run club and crew leaders asking for any upcoming “last 10” runs to be canceled.
The runs usually take place in late October and are timed well into most runners’ marathon taper as they wind through the rest of their training. These runs follow the exact route of the marathon, entering Central Park twice and finishing on West Drive near the finish line.
“This letter concerns the unpermitted running events covering approximately the last or final 1O miles of the TCS NYC Marathon course which have taken place in recent years on the Saturday or Sunday one week prior to the TCS NYC Marathon (“Marathon”) and have been growing in scale to exceed 500 participants,” the letter read. “The organizers of these unauthorized gatherings have not coordinated with NYC Parks and NYPD to obtain permits or otherwise to take measures to ensure these events can be held safely. As organized in recent years, the “Final/Last 10 Runs” significantly impact operations in Central Park as well as on the streets for the last 10-mile length of the Marathon route, raise serious public safety concerns for both runners and pedestrians, hinder the permitted buildout of the Marathon’s Finish Line by the New York Road Runners (“NYRR”), and impede the safe enjoyment of Central Park by other patrons.”
What was unclear was how parks officials obtained the email addresses of dozens of run club and crew leaders.
But Wilton Tejada, an organizer of a well-known “last 10” run, felt blindsided by the commissioner’s letter. Alongside fellow runner Powermalu, the two have promoted their event for weeks, which is scheduled for October 25. The run begins at 60th Street and 1st Avenue and ends near the marathon finish line in Central Park.
“We were surprised to see The Last 10 mentioned in the commissioner’s letter. Our mission has always been simple: bring the running community together in unity and celebration,” Tejada told A Mile. A Minute. “For years, The Last 10 has been the run that everyone looks forward to. It’s a chance for crews of all affiliations to come together, finish training strong and enjoy the joy of running with old and new friends.”
Tejada and Powermalu are longtime fixtures in the city’s running scene and streamlined the structure of the shakeout run by carefully organizing details, the date, pace groups and ensuring that every participant made it to the end of the run safely.
And while it’s unclear when “last 10” runs became popular taper traditions, the events organized by several of the city’s local run clubs and crews have drawn big crowds in the last five years — and gained the attention of several city agencies, including parks officials.
The event planned by Tejada and Powermalu is unsanctioned and does not have a permit on file with the city.
And according to Rodriguez-Rosa’s letter, a run event sponsored by the Ronald McDonald House will host 800 youth runners on October 25 with New York Road Runners staging its Kids Kickoff event the next days with field 2,500 children scheduled to attend.
Both events have permits for areas of Central Park that might cross paths with final ten mile runners or be in the presence of crew building out the final setup for the marathon, which takes place on November 2.
“Therefore, please take all necessary steps to cancel these events and cease any further advertising or promotion for such events taking place within Central Park,” Rodriguez-Rosa said in her letter. “Should these NYC Parks events take place again this year in Central Park without a permit, this will be considered a direct violation of NYC Parks and City rules and regulations.”
The bulk of those who attend the runs come from run groups from The Bronx, Harlem, Washington Heights and parts of Brooklyn and Queens — and also serve as an informal reunion for a running scene that has expanded tremendously but is still tight knit.
And the majority of “final 10” shakeout runs take place outside of Central Park, in a nod to run the exact route of the latter portion of the NYC Marathon.
“Safety and respect are always our top priorities, and we’re proud to say we’ve never had an incident,” Tejada continued. “We’re also open and willing to work with the Parks Department or any agency to ensure this tradition continues to thrive.”
“At its core, The Last 10 is about community, respect, and joy. We remain committed to that spirit.”
Tejada did not reveal if his event would still take place and abide by the commissioner’s order. But posts on Reddit and social media about the NYC Parks letter suggest that runners will still show up on October 25 and roll through latter part of the marathon as planned.
